With the accumulated dues from all defaulters touching a whopping Rs 30 crore, the department has convened a high-level meeting shortly to work out a method of collecting bills not disputed. As the outstanding bills mounted due mainly to STD and even ISD calls, the department has been forced to impose new conditions for providing the facility in future.

The staggering list of those who owe these mind-boggling amounts to the department consists of a former non-Congress chief minister, family members of a former Congress chief minister, four former Union ministers, 12 MPs -- eight of Congress and four belonging to TDP -- 58 MLAs and 122 former MLAs.Besides politicians, more than ten leading industrialists and some public enterprises too figure prominently in the list.

According to Telecominsiders, the former non-Congress chief minister owes a huge sum of Rs 12 lakh. Bills amounting Rs 20 lakh are unpaid in respect of telephones provided to the industrial units owned by the family members of a former Congress chief minister.

A former Union minister belonging to Chittoor district has managed to pile up a bill of Rs 20 lakh while another former central minister from the coastal region was slightly considerate by limiting the dues to Rs 12 lakh.Two "honourable" MPs from the Rayalaseema region together owe Rs 20 lakh while four of their colleagues from Telangana are due Rs 2 lakh each. Six Parliament members from the coastal region have accumulated dues of Rs 32 lakh.

According to sources, the department has rejected the plea of two former Union ministers for "discount" in the outstanding dues.

Among the 38 defaulting former state ministers, 22 are in the Hyderabad telecom limits, four in Warangal zone, Tirupati (3) and Visakhapatnam (9). All of them owe more than Rs 50,000 each.

A majorfertiliser company has failed to clear bills to the tune of Rs 15 lakh while another drug company is due Rs 18 lakh. Eight industrialists from the city owe a total amount of Rs 32 lakh.

The percentage of defaulters is equally high in respect of public booths with STD facility. By March last year, Rs 19 lakh was due from more than 150 booths and not even one operator has cleared the outstanding amount so far.